


By the Road of Broken Glass

by lissara22



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, Totally
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-02-18 03:14:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13091241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lissara22/pseuds/lissara22
Summary: Scott and the rest have gone to colleges and Liam protects Beacon Hills only with Mason's, Corey's and Theo's help. Liam has no problems with first two but he and Theo need a long way to learn to trust each other.





	1. About the tears

**Author's Note:**

> Firstly I wrote this fic in my native Russian language but then I decided to translate it to English. So it's the translation, but my own work. I'm sorry for all my mistakes

The battle is over, Gabe is dead, and now Theo is as far away as possible from the rest, Melissa McCall, Mason, Corey and Nolan, his face is turned to the wall. He looks at his hands which few minutes ago were speckled with black veins, and doesn’t understand whether they shake or everything's just dancing in front of his eyes.

In the end Theo decides that it doesn't matter. Who cares whether his hands shake if all his body thrills already? Who cares that he sees if everything is blurry with tears covering his eyes? Who even cares if the hot lump rises in his throat, threatening to break out in sobs, and the pain of a bullet in his shoulder reflects to his neck and even to his brain?

Theo hardly suppress urge to hug himself with his arms. Instead he rests his palm on the wall, leans against it with his forehead and rapidly, superficially breaths, trying to keep his emotions inside. Theo grits his teeth with a force, chokes and at the same moment realizes that he has lost. Two hot tears flow down his cheeks, drips from his chin and gets lost somewhere below, and then them, the pioneers, are followed by new and new, and damn, Theo has no idea how to stop them. He closes his eyes firmly and lets out a low moan, forgetting for a moment that he's not alone in the room, and immediately curses himself all the possible words.

It seems that the moan came out not so loud, but there are only fucking supernatural beings with amazing hearing around him! Everyone fall silent instantly, even Mason and Melissa McCall, and she says hesitantly:

“I should probably help him...”

“No.” Liam responds instantly. “Don’t approach him.”

“But he has a bullet in his shoulder.” She argues. “I have to get it out.”

Liam sighs heavily, and this sigh runs on frayed Theo's nerves, causing a new spasm in his chest. This time he doesn't groan but growls, lets his claws to come out and sinks them into the wall, although it doesn't help to stop his flowing tears. He hopes that these tears aren't visible from behind.

“I'll do it myself.” Liam says. “Call Scott, lead Mason, Cory and Nolan out of here. I'll manage.”

Melissa says nothing, but apparently nods because soon Theo hears the way her steps are removed and followed by everyone else. Everyone except Liam. They remain in the room alone, not counting the corpses and unconscious bodies, and his deafening heartbeat gets close and drives Theo crazy.

Finally, Liam approaches very near and says soothingly:

“It's okay, Theo. It's all good.”

_No, fuck, not good_ , Theo bellows mentally. _I'm crying like a little girl, and it's not good!_

“Theo,” Liam calls softly, “look at me.”

But Theo knows that no force will make him turn around. He's already lost his own respect and if he lose even Liam's respect, he'll be able to go and shoot himself.

“I know you're crying.” Liam continues and puts a hand on his shoulder, causing him to shudder and tense. “There’s nothing to worry. They've all gone and there's just the two of us. Come on, Theo.”

Clenched his teeth to the pain, Theo pushes his pride to the farthest corner of his soul and turns, expecting to see contempt and mockery of his weakness in Liam's eyes, but he finds only understanding and participation. An involuntary whimper pulls out from Theo's throat, he drives away the tears and asks huskily:

“What... what's wrong with me?”

“This is what happens when a werewolf takes someone else's pain for the first time.” Liam smiles, his voice transfers a subtle pride. “It's a normal reaction. No need to be ashamed of it.”

But Theo closes his eyes and turns away, wiping the tears from his cheeks with an angry gesture. He barely has enough strength to stand straight.

“Let's go.” Liam tries. “We need to pull the bullet out of you. Please, Theo, let's go.”

“Yes.” Theo agrees detached. “Okay.”

He tries to break away from the wall and loses his balance, but Liam's hand immediately grips him by the waist and puts him on his feet. Theo grabs him at the shoulders automatically and he suddenly covers by awareness. Damn Liam Dunbar hugs him at his waist to prevent his fall. Damn Liam Dunbar, who have looked askance at him like an angry little wolf for so long and broke his nose three times, _hugs_ him.

“Fuck,” Theo says, his tears even end, “I went crazy.”

“I don't think so.” Liam laughs. His grip only gets tighter. “But if you don't help me carry you to the room, I'll whack you on your head. And then I'll not vouch for that.”

Theo can't fight with the smile appearing on his face.

They waddle to the nearest operating room, where Liam finds a cute curved scissors and Theo, hissing of the pain, takes off his t-shirt and turns his back on him. Of course, Melissa McCall would probably make everything much neater and less painful, but... she would make nothing. Just because Theo wouldn't allow her to approach him. But he doesn't want to banish Liam, whose every careless movement causes extreme pain and who smells guilt distinctly.

By the time the blood-stained bullet falls on the tiled floor with a metal sound, it seems that Theo has already erased all his teeth. However, he instantly begins to feel the tickling throughout his body, which means that the wound heals, and he sighs with relief.

And Liam chooses this moment to quietly mutter:

“I'm not dying for you.”

“What?” Theo asks, frowning and turning around.

Liam looks up from his shoulder.

“You said "I’m not dying for you". So what the hell, Theo?!” He presses a finger to the wound, forcing Theo to painfully grimace, and immediately lets go. “This bullet was for _my_ shoulder, isn’t it?”

Theo smirks like an idiot and snorts with some crazy euphoria:

“Well, I'm still fucking alive!”

Liam doesn't find what to say, shakes his head and raises his eyes to the ceiling.


	2. About the school

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I forgot to say that this fic consists of small excerpts from Theo's and Liam's lives, so there's no global plot, but it is what it is

It's really weird to go to school after everything that happened. Liam waits he'll be attacked by some fanatics again, but it seems that all students and teachers decided together to pretend that nothing happened. After a couple days no one glances at Liam and Corey on the sly, because until they demonstrate their abilities, they're just normal guys and no one cares about them. Nobody talks about the supernatural, like it's a taboo.

The aggression and fear that had gripped Beacon Hills evaporates as rapidly as they came, leaving behind only confusion. Liam would even think that everything was just a dream, but there are three reasons proves the opposite.

The first reason is giant problems with all his subjects except history. When his mother and stepfather know about it, they become wild hysterical and it accompanies by cries like "it's your last year before senior in high school, what about the exams?!" As a result, Liam literally grounds himself and asks Mason to become a teacher.

The second reason is Nolan. In addition to training, where he's co-captain of the team along with Liam, he pursues him almost through the entire school, in the library, at lunch, in the classes. Liam don't mind it, Nolan isn't the bad guy, he's just little intimidated, but it's still not very comfortable. Liam remembers how Nolan pulled a crossbow on him and how he almost killed him in that zoo then. And he would have done it, if it wasn't for Theo.

Speaking of Theo.

The third reason waits for Liam at the parking lot at school a week after the battle. Liam gets off the school bus along with Mason and Corey and immediately pauses, sensing the familiar smell. His eyes quickly find the blue truck among the parked cars. Liam lingers for a second then rushes to the school.

Corey's and Mason's surprised shouts fly him in the back, but Liam doesn't pay attention to them.

It cannot be said that he didn't think about Theo this week, on the contrary, he thought of him often, more often than he'd like. Then, in the hospital, when Liam saw him last time, he saved him, fought with him, took the Gabe's pain and he was looking so vulnerable after that, and Liam had to calm him down. Then he went to school to the rest of the pack and Theo got into his truck and disappeared in an unknown direction.

Since then always when Liam thought about him he just recalled everything that happened with them in the hospital, but he didn't really think about what will happen next. He never allowed himself to assume that Theo can get the hell out of Beacon Hills. Liam just knew that in the moment he need help again, he'll take the phone to dial for Theo and he will be answered. But he never thought that Theo really decides to _stay_ here. That he won't hide in the shadows, in the forests, under the ground, like a ghost, but really tries to _settle down_.

Dramatically threw the school doors open, Liam rushes inside and immediately sees Theo, coming down the stairs. A breathless Mason grumbles dissatisfied behind him:

“What's this one doing here?”

But Liam almost doesn't hear him, because at this point Theo raises his head, meets his eyes and stops. People merge in some kind of blurred background for Liam, he sees only Theo and his eyes, one of which covers by a strand of regrown hair.

And then Theo sincere, easy smiles, doesn't smirks, exactly smiles and the next thing Liam realizes is that they are already together near the lockers. Still staring at each other mutely.

“So… you're gonna be in school?” Corey breaks the silence.

“Like that.” Theo shrugs, finally looking away from Liam. “This whole Hell and the Ghost Riders thing wasn't reflect in my education very well, so I has been taken to the graduating class once again.”

He grins, Corey laughs, and even Mason curves his lips, appreciated the irony, but Liam remains serious. He makes a rapid step towards Theo, compresses his fingers into fists to resist the desire either to punch him or to grab his hand.

“Are you sure that you’re staying?”

“Where else have I go, Liam? I didn't save... this town so many times to get out of here. So don't relax,” Theo reaches out and pats him on the shoulder, “you are still responsible for me.”

When he removes his hand, Liam intercepts it with his own and squeezes for a moment.

“Deal.”


	3. About the nightmares

Theo doesn't live in Hell.

Liam Dunbar pulled him out, but apparently not entirely, because he sees dead sister, who tries to rip his heart out, literally everywhere. Hell doesn't let go Theo's soul as easily as his body, it's still trapped underground and Theo only need to curl up in the back seat of his truck, hide under the old blanket and close his eyes, and his consciousness at once returns there.

He is again in the morgue or in the hospital corridor, again looks around with a wildly pounding heart and always, always sees her. Tara was so beautiful, so fun and cute, but now she's like an evil monster, the girl from "The Ring". She looks like a zombie drowned, her slimy hair hangs unkempt with icicles, water dripping from them. Her face is pale and almost blue, her lips ashen and bent in such a creepy grin, which even Theo can't portray. She crawls on all fours, clumsily leaning to one side, then on the other, but still somehow moves quicker then fleeing Theo.

Tara always catches up him, no options, then she grabs him by the ankles with icy, scalding icy fingers, drags up to herself and turns on his back. And in this moment Theo is always scared the most. Because he has to see two things, mangled ribs with gaping hole in her chest and _her eyes_. Black eyes, like two empty tunnels stretching into the darkness of her soul, in which nothing is remained, except for sharp, all-consuming hatred of Theo.

She lets this hatred to surround Theo, to absorb him, allows him to swim in it as in water, to drink it all. And when he starts to choke and beg for mercy and forgiveness, Tara viciously growls and rips out his heart. _Her_ heart. It belonged, still belongs to her. She takes it out, bringing the death, almost merciful, which terminates suffering.

The oblivion comes. It's the best time. Just before it repeats again.

Theo is lucky if he manages to wake up. If the nightmare repeats only three times in one night. If he manages not to injure himself with his claws. And if he has no dreams, just blissful darkness, allowing him to relax at least for a few hours, he can trace this day on the calendar as a holiday.

It gets better with people. The only reason he went back to school.

It gets better when someone talks to him. When someone distracts him and doesn't let him to get lost in his madness.

It gets better with Mason, who still hates him. With surprisingly kind and understanding Corey. With Liam. When Theo is with Liam, he feels alive, feels _human_.

Stupid, brave Liam Dunbar drives away all Theo's fears, forcing him to remember that he is here, not in Hell. He helps him even when he's not near Theo.

Woke up, Theo sometimes cannot understand and _believe_ that he is no longer there. He sits at the backseat with a jerk, frantically clenching his chest and trying to catch his breath. His look always falls on the trinkets hanging in front of the windshield. Theo calls them the mascots to himself. One of those fragments, which Kira's sword broke to, and undone bracelet, consisting of four metal blocks with letters.

L, I, A, M.

Cheap, which Theo saw in a stupid souvenir shop. Cheap, which he could not pass by for some reason.

Theo sees those two things and instantly remembers all that is required. Liam pulled him out of Hell and broke the sword so he'll never go back.

Liam saved him, and Theo doesn't live in Hell.

But the Hell comes to him at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be bigger, I swear


	4. About the responsibility

Sometimes Liam thinks how good his life was before Scott's bite. Of course, he had problems, but the only things he was really responsible, was studying and lacrosse. And before each test and important game he invariably began to feel really sick from the responsibility placed on his shoulders, and he hated it, but he could do nothing with it. Except to continue, over and over again hoping that now he'll be able to do what is required of him, without losing confidence in his abilities.

After turning Liam was forced to understand something. Firstly, the truth was told in the Spider-Man movie: “With great power comes great responsibility,” and Liam can't stay away when lots of people are in danger. Secondly, and Scott taught him about it, he can forget about confidence in yourself. He'll doubt, try, mistake, fall, stand up and try again until he’ll succeed.

However, there is something that Liam is not ready for. To be leader. In the lacrosse team he was a co-captain along with Scott before and now he's with Nolan. And in the affairs of the pack he always did what he was told by Scott, his alpha, and went where he pointed. Didn't give up, because Scott still stood on his feet.

The only thing Liam had ever done himself, the only thing he and nobody else is responsible for is the return of Theo from Hell. His cross, his first decision which, to his surprise, hasn't become a complete and absolute failure. It seems that this should inspire, but what Liam feels it's not exactly inspiration. On the contrary, he fears that this success will force everyone to think that he's not able to make a mistake.

But he no doubt is. Especially now when there are no Scott, Stiles, Lydia and even not the most reliable, but strong and determined Malia near him.

Therefore, when the door of the biology class opens, and Sheriff Stilinski appears in the doorway and asks the teacher to let Liam go early, Liam feels like his whole body freezes in terror. He just collects his textbooks into a backpack and goes into the hallway.

The Sheriff informs him that three people disappeared in the town this week and parents of another girl who didn't come home came at the police station this morning. The police have no clues, and the Sheriff thinks Liam can find her by scent. Agreeing, Liam remains calm outwardly, but his heart pounds like crazy. He knows that missing can spend the night at a boyfriend or girlfriend, but it's fucking Beacon Hills and nobody the hell disappears just like that here.

Responsibility.

It smothers and crushes from all sides, but Liam goes to the exit of the school along with the Sheriff anyway. Almost at the end of the corridor Liam hears the steps behind him, turns around and sees Theo who caught them up. Not noticing the Sheriff, he stares at Liam, and Liam knows, fucking _knows_ what Theo's listening to his heartbeat.

“I'm going with you.” He says strongly.

“No.” Stilinski cuts off instantly.

“I have a car.” Theo doesn’t give up. “Your police is too noticeable.”

“No.”

Theo turns to Liam and raises his eyebrows questioningly. Liam looks at him and can't keep the relief rising from somewhere from the depths of his soul. He chews his lower lip from the inside and looks away but then says:

“Theo is a werewolf longer than I am. He can smell something I don't notice and help me fight.” Liam raises his head and adds. “And then he'll take me back to school.”

Theo smiles with the corner of his mouth, and the Sheriff draws the air angrily. Liam waits for him to say that Liam can't tell him what to do, but he only purses his lips and, without saying a word, turns to the exit of the school. Liam exchanges glances with pleased Theo, and he suddenly realizes that Sheriff Stilinski... listened to him?

Liam's eyes are yellow, but now he's a leader. Sheriff needs him and makes concessions.

...

Girl got kidnapped by a new wendigo showed up in Beacon Hills as the rest of the missing before her. Unfortunately, she's the only one who stays alive, although battered.

Liam and Theo hold a wendigo, until the Sheriff puts a full clip into him. Then he calls for backup and, when it arrives, allows Theo to take the victim to the ambulance. Described the essence to Parrish, Stilinski returns to Liam stands beside him, and they are together watches over Theo, who holds the girl's hand.

A few minutes later the Sheriff asks tiredly:

“Do you trust him?”

“Learn to.” Liam responds.

They silently watch for a while the way Theo explains something to the victim with unusually soft voice.

“Why?” The Sheriff says finally.

“Because he saved me. Because he cares.” Liam sighs, closing his eyes, and firmly ends. “Because everyone deserves a second chance.”

Theo pats the girl on the knee and straightens up, looking for Liam, but he sees the Sheriff near him and freezes, obviously not daring to approach. Instead he sticks his hands into his pockets and heads for his truck.

Stilinski clears his throat, attracting the Liam's attention to himself, and nods to him:

“All right, man, thanks. Both of you, I guess.”

Liam nods in response and turn back to him, intending to follow Theo, but the Sheriff suddenly puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. When Liam looks at him questioningly, he hesitates but says:

“And Liam... give me your phone number.”

“Excuse me?” Liam asks stunned.

The Sheriff explains sheepishly:

“I always called Scott or Stiles in strange situations earlier, but now they're gone, and I...” He helplessly throws up his hands and sighs. “I would call you. If you don't mind, of course. Just specifically to go to school is not always convenient…”

Liam can't believe what he heard, just stares at him with huge eyes and hurriedly interrupts:

“Yes! I mean, I don't mind, please call as soon as you need anything.” He confuses and dictates his number inconsistent while Sheriff Stilinski records it into his phone. “I would be happy to help.”

Once more clapped him on the shoulder, the Sheriff goes to the victim. Until Liam still stares after him, trying to put in his head the fact that he has really, _really_ taken the Scott's place now, Theo approaches him by himself. He easily shoves Liam's with his shoulder and jokingly asks:

“What, responsibility hasn't flattened you yet, hasn't it?”

In his voice there are only a friendly notes and Liam doesn't offend. He lowers his eyes to the ground and admits quietly:

“I don't know if I can handle it.”

“Of course, you’ll not handle.” Theo reports serenely. When Liam raises his head with bewilderment and indignation, Theo sarcastically adds: “Alone. Fortunately, you have Corey, Mason, Deaton, Scott's mom and Argent, Parrish and Sheriff Stilinski... And me, of course. Well, how can someone be compared to me?”

Theo he throws up his arms widely and grins. Looking at this idiot, Liam can't hold back a snicker and feels the way his soul becomes a little easier.


	5. About the fights

Actually, Theo doesn't like to hit Liam too much, but it seems Liam terribly likes to hit Theo. Anyway, they fight really often, and if not for the rapid regeneration old bruises wouldn't heal before new ones appear.

However, it's hard to call them fights. Liam just responds to any Theo's snide remark with punch to his face. Theo almost never hits first but to strike back is sacred. Usually it all ends after a couple of strokes or becomes a brawl when they try to break each other's rib with grips and smear on every vertical and horizontal surface, tops. For werewolves — stuff, not fight. They don't even release their claws, what Theo, by the way, very happy about. He hasn't t-shirts so much.

And he could not help but notice that Liam now hits in another way. He doesn't aim at the nose and teeth, and bruises on the cheeks heal almost instantly. Though Theo and doesn't consider himself a masochist, he likes enraging Liam and getting a punch in the face for it in some creepy way. Their feud-friendship is weird enough, so why not decorate it with the fights, bringing both pleasure?

Besides, Liam needs it, Theo sees. His control issues don't evaporate in a moment after a victory over Anuk-ite, and the mantra no longer helps him. But fights with Theo do. Theo hopes he doesn't notice that his taunts are heard most often when Liam needs to let off steam.

Everything changes on the full moon. Theo in between classes sees Liam, standing at his locker, approaches him, resting his shoulder on the nearby, and grins:

“Nice shirt, Liam. But to wear this, your name should be Liana. Or did you decide to join the team of Mason and Corey?”

Liam closes the locker with a loud clanging and gives him a hard look askance.

“Not today, Theo. Otherwise you won't get off that easily.”

He turns and walks away, followed like a plume by smell of irritation and aggression. Theo narrows his eyes, looking after him, and shakes his head dissatisfied. The anxiety moves in his chest. It only grows when Liam ignores other jokes and then even begins to avoid Theo.

So Theo forgets about his principles and comes to lacrosse practice, sitting as far away from snogging Mason and Corey as possible. He pretends that he prepares for the upcoming math test, but mostly watches what is happening on the field. And everything is not very good there. Liam is definitely not uses his werewolf's strength and even restrains it, clearly wasting a lot of effort to do it. Of course, he quickly starts to get tired, becomes absent-minded and gets a lot of discontent from the coach and team. And he's, _of course_ , angry.

“What are you doing here, Theo?” He suddenly hears a Corey's voice from the side.

Theo winces, he was so fascinated by observation so he didn't even notice as he approached.

“I think he's here for Liam, right?” Mason interferes. “He not enough irritated him on the day and has come here now.”

“Right.” Theo smiles, suppressing the desire to roll his eyes. “I've come to watch how Liam for a change punching in the face someone else besides me.”

“You asshole, you're the only one who...”

“Guys!” Corey interrupts them.

They hurriedly shut up, follow his gaze and see Liam angrily pushes in the chest some guy from the team, and he shouts something accusatory. Coach and Nolan try to save the situation, but Theo even from the tribune feels thick, enveloping scent of anger coming from Liam.

Theo jumps on his feet and rushes to the field, Mason and Corey follow him. Flew into the crowd gathered around the disputants, Theo grabs Liam by the shoulders, tears him out of the opponent and pulls him away. Liam immediately breaks from his hands, slides on him with a look of angry gold eyes and runs towards the locker room.

“I’ll calm him down, and you do that nobody follow us.” Theo tells Mason and Corey and, while they look at each other, runs after Liam.

Theo finds him in the shower. Liam rests one hand on the wall, and violent pressure of hot water hits him on the back. Hearing the steps and the smell of Theo, he muffled grumbles:

“I told you to stay away all day. If I start I won't stop. Today I can't help it. I'm stronger than you, Theo, and you'll be sorry.”

Crossed his arms over his chest with a small laugh, Theo says: 

“Do you think I don't notice what the fuck is wrong with you? You'll _have_ to find a way to control your anger, and until then... you'll just be letting off steam. Come on, little beta left without a daddy, show me what you got. We haven't had a full round for long.”

Liam doesn't answer, but Theo can hear the growl comes from his throat. Theo grins at that sound, abruptly comes closer and turns the faucet, turning off the water. He literally feels the way Liam flares his nostrils like a young bull and compresses the fingers of the second hand. 

“Come on, Liam!” Theo bellows, grabbing his shoulder and turning him to face him. “Hit me!”

And this time Liam responds. With a punch in his face. In the nose, to be exact.

Theo steps back, slipping on the wet tiles and falling down, but immediately bursts into an evil laughter. Liam didn't break his nose, but the sparks of pain splash from his eyes.

While Theo rises to his feet, Liam grimly watches him with his golden wolf eyes. His upper lip lifted, baring his fangs, fingers adorned with claws. They have a staring contest for a few moments and then simultaneously rush on each other.

In this battle there are no rules that they followed before. Theo knows that Liam will now hit him in the nose, eye, ear, teeth — anywhere, so it's no sense to hold back. And he almost gladly allows himself to sink claws into Liam's side. Salty-sweet smell of his blood rushes into his nostrils, intoxicating and making him want to dig even with his teeth to feel his taste on the tongue.

Some time they fight on an equal footing, knocking each other on the floor, allowing to lift again and sprinkling everything around with their blood, almost dancing, complementing moves with growl, sounds of blows and crackling of tearing fabric.

But Liam is right — he is stronger, especially during the full moon. Theo ends up pressed to the floor, with the last efforts scratching the Liam's back with his claws while he's sitting astride him, beating his face. Flares of pain almost blind him, skin is unpleasantly sticky from blood and sweat, but somehow in Theo's mind flashes the thought that it's like a perverse lovemaking. Anyway if he would want to show someone his love, then perhaps this is what it would look like.

Suddenly Liam stops, but only to rise his hand with claws above Theo’s throat. Theo curves his broken lips: 

“Come on, kill me if you will feel better!”

Liam looks Theo in the eye, and something in his animal facial expression changes. He glances at his hand with fear and misunderstanding, then back at Theo and suddenly jumps to the side. He hides into the corner between the locker and the wall, his irises returns from the golden color to normal, and he starts trembling.

Theo turns on his side, spits a blood clot on the floor and sits down with difficulty. Glanced at Liam, he says frowning:

“Have you calmed down?”

He looks up at him terrified and looks like he's about to burst into tears. Theo with a heavy sigh creeps up closer and slaps him on the knee. Liam muffled clears his throat, blinks a couple of times and says:

“You're a jerk. I could kill you.”

“I knew that you won't.” Theo grins, wiping the blood from his chin with the sleeve of completely spoiled t-shirt, and adds what he had once told Malia: “You like me too much.”

Expelled a 'hmph', Liam, however, doesn't argue, maybe he just has no strength do it or he feels too guilty. They sit near on the floor in boys' locker room, not speaking, but somehow giving each other the silent support.

Liam finally admits:

“I needed that.”

“I noticed.” Theo snorts. “And you’ll not get off with one thank you. Give me a new t-shirt!”

Liam smiles, stands up, reaching over Theo's hand, and raises him too.

Everything changes but remains the same.

Theo doesn't like to beat Liam, but Liam likes to beat Theo. And Theo prefers to sink his claws deep into him and eagerly inhale, absorb the smell of blood with his skin. But it's only during the full moon, each time accompanied by the fight, but never the attempt murder more. In ordinary time playful fights are enough for them.


	6. About the sandwiches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so lazy and constantly busy with some other things. Maybe someday I'll work with this fanfic properly, but not yet. Perhaps, the next chapter will take even more time. I'm sorry for this and for all mistakes

Once Liam quarrels with his mom. Because of the temper he had inherited it from her, the conversation started with the fact that he throws dirty clothes all over the room, turns into with the reminder to each other of all sins. Of course, in the heat of an argument they both manage to tell a lot of nonsense, then slam doors and at night roll over and can't sleep. By morning the insult evaporates, and Liam, coming into the kitchen, smiles apologetic, and mom gently strokes him on the head and puts a plate of breakfast in front of him.

Already holding the handle of the door, Liam turns around and promises that he will clean the room when he gets back from school. Mom, lightening up, approaches him, kisses the top of his head and shoves into his hands some kind of box. Throwing a look at it, Liam realizes that mom made him a sandwich, although it was not necessary, because he still has lunch money at school, and he nods gratefully. She did it not for the fact that he's going to be hungry, rather as an apology, and it's really nice of her. So Liam says goodbye and stuffs the box into the backpack.

After a few lessons he safely forgets about the sandwich, of course, so he stands in a queue along with Mason and Corey out of habit at lunch and buys a full tray of food. At the table they are joined by Theo, gloomy and with dark bruises under the eyes. Liam know that he almost completely ignores the lessons and certainly not doing homework at nights, but he not getting enough sleep regularly. Not that Liam is interested in the cause of this, or why he looks so bad: unkempt hair, wrinkled clothes, sunken cheeks. The main thing is that his look is same sharp and mocking. So, Theo is fine.

All the food disappears from the Liam’s tray and only at the very end he remembers about his mom's sandwich and, slapped himself on the forehead, pulls out a box.  
Mason and Corey laugh and say that their parents also like to make amends in some stupid way. Theo just rolls his eyes. Liam realizes that he can't eat a piece anymore, but he doesn’t want to throw out something that his mom did.

And then he suddenly notices a Theo’s undercover hungry look. Liam is surprised from long ago why he sits with them at lunch, but never eats anything, and now he understands. It turns out that Theo just has no money to buy something?

Liam watches as Theo throws short glances to the sandwich and swallows saliva, and he feels pity involuntarily, but also... respect? Theo is malnourished it’s so obvious that Liam surprises of himself: how had he managed not to notice it for so long time? And Theo even had never asked anything from anyone: whether his pride prevented, whether he simply was sure that no one will help him. Liam somehow knows exactly that Theo will immediately refuse the offer to buy something to him. He is alien to any form of concern, so he will be look around for the catch and think that accepting help will make him someone’s debtor.

So Liam tries to look like indifferent and says:

“Hey, Theo, do you want a sandwich? I just can’t eat anything anymore and can’t throw it out.”

Theo raises his head so abruptly that Liam almost recoils. Theo watches his expression a couple of seconds, and then a familiar smirk appears on his lips. He shrugs:

“Well, I’ll help you,” and he reaches out for the box.

Liam carefully studies his biology notebook, but watches with the corner of his eye, how Theo calmly unpacks a sandwich, biting off the first piece, and all of a sudden begins to chew with such eagerness that he almost choking. Liam shyly looks away and asks Mason some inane question to distract him from staring at Theo, but Liam not even listens what he answers him. Corey has enough tact to look away himself.

The sandwich disappears in just a few seconds, and Liam looks at Theo, catching the relief and gratitude in his eyes, and realizes that Theo understands and accepts the rules of the game. But they don’t talk about it.

They don't talk about it now, nor the next day, when Liam brings another box with a sandwich and lies that his mother made it again, and not he himself, on purpose got up early for this. They don't talk about it, when Liam lies that he likes school food more than sandwiches and that he takes them only not to upset his mother, and when Corey shoves Mason in the side as he wants to say something.

They don't talk about it when Liam starts to extend Theo a box every day in silence and without excuses, and Theo accepts it with a smile, saying thank you only with his eyes, and even when one sandwich becomes two at some point.

They don't talk about it. But they understand everything.


	7. About some of the rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some free time and voila!

For the first time since Theo's back in school, he's not sitting at one table with Liam, Mason, and Cory during lunch. He pretends that he doesn't hurt sitting in splendid isolation, but he still sneak glances at the familiar table. At some point he even catches response evil stare from Liam, but he immediately turns away, as if even to look at Theo is disgusting. Theo feels rotten in his heart. He remembers everything he said to him yesterday.

_You can't do anything without Scott and repeat everything after him._

_You don't have your own opinions of anything._

_Scott and Hayden left you and did the right thing: you're useless._

_You're a lousy leader, and everybody regrets you're here, not Scott._

_You're weak and coward, and one day your idiotic views will lead you to be killed, and I won't lift a finger to save you._

Last night he and Liam caught a man raping girls in the neighborhood, and Theo offered to kill him instead of take to the police. He knows that this bastard will be briefly jailed, then released, mitigating sentence for good behavior, he will be up to his old tricks. And Liam tried to explain to him why they couldn't do it, and they had a fight, really had a fight, it wasn't just a quarrel, they really said some things. Theo remembers what Liam told him as well.

_I regret pulling you out of Hell, you're the worst thing that's ever happened to me._

_I've never made a mistake like this before._

_You're not in the pack and can't even hope ever to be._

_Mason's right to hate you, and I don't want anything to do with you anymore._

_I was a complete idiot when I decided that such an asshole like you that almost destroyed our pack, will ever be able to do right._

Theo never even could assume before that someone's words can really hurt, hurt right to the heart, can cause almost physical pain. The Liam's look, with which he had awarded him when he turned and walked away, told him to act like he wants, sticks in his memory. And he added in the end that he gave Theo the second chance, what means any other — including such a bastard — deserves it too.

As a result, Theo took the rapist to the police station, handed over to the Sheriff and for some reason hoped that he will tell Liam about it and in the morning everything will become as earlier. But evil words don't evaporate with the dawn, don't fade like smoke, they hang between them, burn the throat and compress the chest, and Theo has no idea what to do now. Probably, all the glimpses of friendship between them doesn't mean anything anymore, it's over.

He abruptly rises from the table and out of the school building, although the lessons have not ended. Some boy hanging out near his truck, he reeks like anxiety. Theo, got a suspicious glance at him, passes by because he doesn't feel such a danger from him as from the hunters, and grabs the door handle.

“Is that your truck?” The boy asks, voice trembling and nervous.

“Mine.” Theo replies, not even turning to face him. “Do you have any-”

He has no time to finish the question, hit crashes down on his temple with such force which it is impossible to assume in such a puny creature. Theo falls forward, hitting his face on the car, and hears a distinct crunch of his own nose. Wow, a broken nose and it's not Liam's fault, he thinks amused. But that jerk must has hidden the bat behind his back.

The second blow falls on the back of his head, and Theo loses consciousness and wakes up only in some basement, tied to a chair. His head throbbing with a dull pain, his nostrils are clogged with disgusting smell, his face caked in blood, and his mouth is sour.

“You alive in there?” The same boy asks with some dismay, standing in front of him and frantically clutching not even a bat, but a stub of metal pipe.

“Unfortunately for you.” Theo bellows, straining the muscles and feeling how ropes surrounded him start to crack and torn.

The guy also sees it, his eyes widen from fear, and he quickly rushes to the exit from the basement. It takes Theo only a few seconds to finally free, but this time is enough for a metal door to slam shut right before his nose and for bolt on it to go into the slots.

Theo bangs on the door with his fist with the evil roar and angrily looks at the boy on the other side through the barred window, but immediately gets it together and grins:

“What's your problem, buddy?”

“You're not my buddy!” The boy shouts out with high and ringing voice. “My brother is gonna be put in jail because of you! It was you, it was you – he remembered your blue truck and that you were a student! You broke his life, and I'll break yours, you know? I'll... I'll kill you, you get that?!”

It looks like he’s about to cry, and Theo becomes a little sorry for him: in the end, no one chooses their relatives. Tara didn't choose him, Malia didn't choose Peter and the Desert Wolf, and this young idiot — brother-rapist. However, the next moment there's a lighter in the boy's hand, and Theo immediately aware what the unpleasant acrid smell he feels. It's gasoline - stains all over the floor, and big puddle right in front of the basement door.

Theo's throat shrinks in horror, and he swallows, but tries to look impassive.

“What, are you too coward to shoot or stab me? We would have handled it normally, man-to-man.”

“Ha, not for hell!” The boy laughs hysterical. “I want you to die slowly, to suffer! I want you to _burn alive!_ ”

Throwing inside a burning lighter, he turns and quickly walks away, not paying attention to filthy curses Theo, rushing after him. Theo immediately reaches out for the lighter, but it has fallen straight into a puddle of gasoline, and the flame instantly shoots up and burns his fingers. The fire rapidly runs from one stain to another and soon covers the entire basement. Helplessly looking around, Theo rushes on the door, but it's metal — it can be kicked down by a banshee or possibly a normal werewolf, but by a not useless, powerless chimera.

Theo almost in desperation, when he suddenly remembers about the phone in the inside pocket of his jacket and realizes that the kidnapper didn't think to pull it out. Maybe he didn't know that Theo will be able to get rid of the rope, an ordinary man would have failed, but he's a freaking chimera, and at least _it_ is something he _can_ do.

Of course there is no connection in the basement and Theo, literally choking from the smoke, somehow gets to the window near the ceiling, standing on a chair, on which before he was bound. A slight breath of fresh breeze touches his burnt face, and the phone finally catches one strip. Theo thinks about Liam for a moment, but admits that he probably won't even pick up the phone and instead calls the police station. He hoarsely tells some officer who answered about the kidnapping, the burning basement and the brother of yesterday's rapist. The officer promises to help as soon as possible.

Theo waits for some time, clinging fingers over the bars and trying to breathe through the vent, but gradually his lungs entirely cease to receive oxygen, and his mind fogs up. His legs and arms weaken, and he falls to the floor, breaking his knees and burning his palms against the flame roaring nearby. Theo with last ounce of strength, only on instinct crawls to the door and scratch the iron with claws, feeling the inevitable losing consciousness.

He wakes up when the door swings open, letting in the fresh air in basement. Strong hands lift him by underarms, drag out and up the stairs — he measures the steps with the ribs — and away from home. Solid cool land, on which Theo falls, seems fluff to him. The first few minutes he just lies back and eagerly swallows his breath, waiting for the vision and thoughts to clearer, and the burns all over his body to heal.

Then Theo turns his head to the side and sees Liam. He sits on the ground, hands grabbing h knees, and watching him with a strange expression on his face, it's anxiety mixed with irritation. Noticing, that Theo has woken up, he frowns.

“You almost died!” He declares angrily. “Why the fuck did you call the police, not me? I lost a lot of time before the Sheriff told me about your call.”

Theo sighs tiredly and cautiously takes a sitting position. Liam is still waiting for an answer, and Theo reminds:

“You didn't talk to me. I thought even if you picked up the phone, you wouldn't go anywhere. That there's nothing between us... that it's over.”

Liam gapes at him:

“Theo, you idiot! What do you mean "it's over"? It was just a fight!”

“But you said you don't want to have anything to do with me.” Theo says in confusion, for some reason starting to feel like an idiot. “I took it literally.”

There’s a long silence between them.

“You’ve never had that before.” Liam says detached.

Theo slowly shakes his head:

“No, I’ve never had that.”

“Okay, that's how it works.” Liam moves closer to Theo and explains: “Sometimes people quarrel and under influence of emotions say each other what they on fact not think. They get angry for a while and then apologize and forget about everything.”

Another pause.

“And how was I supposed to know?” Theo grumbles distorting the shoulders awkwardly. “And then- we still haven't made up, why would you help me?”

Liam laughs nervously, rising to his feet and, supporting Theo by the elbow, helps him to stand up.

“You have to know one more thing.” He adds quietly as if he's embarrassed. “I'll always come to help. Even if I'm mad at you. Even if you're mad at me. I'll come anyway, okay?”

“Okay.” Theo nods and decides that he should remember and take into account these rules. Besides, he already follows half of them — he was helping Liam even when he thought of him as an enemy, not as a friend. And he would've helped him even if he was mad at him. Now Theo only learns that it works in the opposite direction as well.


End file.
